Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ¼ cup minced red pepper
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 cup milk
• 1 ¾ cups water
• ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ¾ teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 eggs, separated

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly butter eight 6 ounce ramekins.
2. In a fry pan over medium, melt the butter. Add the onion and pepper; sauté until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until softened. Remove from heat and cool ten minutes.
3. In a saucepan over medium, bring the milk just to a boil. Pour water into a bowl; gradually stir in cornmeal until smooth.
4. Add cornmeal mixture to the hot milk and cook, stirring continuously, until thick, about five minutes.
5. Stir in the Parmigiano, ¾ teaspoons salt and the cayenne. Remove from the heat and cool 20 minutes.
6. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks. Gradually stir cornmeal and onion mixtures into yolks until blended.
7. In a separate bowl, combine egg whites and a pinch of salt. Beat until soft peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gold whites into cornmeal-onion mixture.
8. Divide among dishes and bake until tops are puffed and browned about 30 minutes.